German Poets: Number 1.1: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe - Quotes and Poems


Short Bio:

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was born in 1749 in Frankfurt. From 1765 to 1771 he studied law in Leipzig and Strasbourg on request of his father. During his time at university he already earned recognition with his poems and lyric. When he returned to Frankfurt he practiced law and worked on his career as a poet and writer. In 1773 the “Götz von Berlichingen” was published, making Goethe a main representative for the Sturm und Drang movement. Getting a lot of attention and recognition by the literature world, Goethe is invited to Weimar, where he took over many different political offices, but still managed to concentrate on writing. Beside his literature ambitions, he was also very interested in science, which was more important to him, than his writing. From 1786 to 1790 he travelled through Italy where he undertook more scientific researches. In 1794 he befriends Friedrich Schiller with whom he developed a new style of writing, which is now know as it's own literature epoch, the Weimarer Klassik.

In 1908 Goethe finished Faust and between 1811 and 14 he wrote his autobiography. In 1831 he finished Faust 2 which got published posthumously. Goethe used and explored many different styles in literature and turned out to be an important personality to the world of literature.

Quotes:
1----------"A correct answer is like an affectionate kiss."

2----------"All intelligent thoughts have already been thought; what is necessary is only to try to think them again."

3----------"An unused life is an early death."

4----------"Beauty is a manifestation of secret natural laws, which otherwise would have been hidden from us forever."

5----------"Being brilliant is no great feat if you respect nothing."

6----------"Certain flaws are necessary for the whole. It would seem strange if old friends lacked certain quirks."

7----------"Common sense is the genius of humanity."

8----------"Daring ideas are like chessmen moved forward; they may be beaten, but they may start a winning game."

9----------"Do not give in too much to feelings. A overly sensitive heart is an unhappy possession on this shaky earth."

10---------"Girls we love for what they are; young men for what they promise to be."

Poems:

1st the Original, then the translation^^


Ganymed

Wie im Morgenglanze
Du rings mich anglühst,
Frühling, Geliebter!
Mit tausendfacher Liebeswonne
Sich an mein Herz drängt
Deiner ewigen Wärme
Heilig Gefühl,
Unendliche Schöne!
Daß ich dich fassen möcht'
In diesen Arm!

Ach! an deinem Busen
Lieg' ich, schmachte,
Und deine Blumen, dein Gras
Drängen sich an mein Herz.
Du kühlst den brennenden
Durst meines Busens,
Lieblicher Morgenwind!
Ruft drein die Nachtigall
Liebend nach mir aus dem Nebeltal.
Ich komm', ich komme!
Wohin? Ach, wohin?

Hinauf! Hinauf strebt's.
Es schweben die Wolken
Abwärts, die Wolken
Neigen sich der sehnenden Liebe.
Mir! Mir!
In eurem Schoße
Aufwärts!
Umfangend umfangen!
Aufwärts an deinen Busen
Alliebender Vater!

Ganymede

How, in the light of morning,
Round me thou glowest,
Spring, thou beloved one!
With thousand-varying loving bliss
The sacred emotions
Born of thy warmth eternal
Press 'gainst my bosom,
Thou endlessly fair one!
Could I but hold thee clasp'd
Within mine arms!

Ah! upon thy bosom
Lay I, pining,
And then thy flowers, thy grass,
Were pressing against my heart.
Thou coolest the burning
Thirst of my bosom,
Beauteous morning breeze!
The nightingale then calls me
Sweetly from out of the misty vale.
I come, I come!
Whither? Ah, whither?

Up, up, lies my course.
While downward the clouds
Are hovering, the clouds
Are bending to meet yearning love.
For me,
Within thine arms
Upwards!
Embraced and embracing!
Upwards into thy bosom,
Oh Father all-loving!
-------------------------------------

Erlkönig

Wer reitet so spät durch Nacht und Wind?
Es ist der Vater mit seinem Kind;
Er hat den Knaben wohl in dem Arm,
Er faßt ihn sicher, er hält ihn warm.

"Mein Sohn, was birgst du so bang dein Gesicht?"
"Siehst, Vater, du den Erlkönig nicht?
Den Erlenkönig mit Kron und Schweif?"
"Mein Sohn, es ist ein Nebelstreif."

"Du liebes Kind, komm', geh' mit mir!
Gar schöne Spiele spiel ich mit dir;
Manch bunte Blumen sind an dem Strand;
Meine Mutter hat manch gülden Gewand."

"Mein Vater, mein Vater, und hörest du nicht,
Was Erlenkönig mir leise verspricht?"
"Sei ruhig, bleibe ruhig, mein Kind!
In dürren Blättern säuselt der Wind."

"Willst, feiner Knabe, du mit mir geh'n?
Meine Töchter sollen dich warten schön;
Meine Töchter führen den nächtlichen Reihn
Und wiegen und tanzen und singen dich ein."

"Mein Vater, mein Vater, und siehst du nicht dort
Erlkönigs Töchter am düstern Ort?"
"Mein Sohn, mein Sohn, ich seh' es genau:
Es scheinen die alten Weiden so grau."

"Ich liebe dich, mich reizt deine schöne Gestalt;
Und bist du nicht willig, so brauch' ich Gewalt."
"Mein Vater, mein Vater, jetzt faßt er mich an!
Erlkönig hat mir ein Leids getan!"

Dem Vater grauset's, er reitet geschwind,
Er hält in Armen das ächzende Kind,
Erreicht den Hof mit Mühe und Not;
In seinen Armen das Kind war tot.


The Erl King

WHO rides there so late through the night dark and drear?
The father it is, with his infant so dear;
He holdeth the boy tightly clasp'd in his arm,
He holdeth him safely, he keepeth him warm.

"My son, wherefore seek'st thou thy face thus to hide?"
"Look, father, the Erl-King is close by our side!
Dost see not the Erl-King, with crown and with train?"
"My son, 'tis the mist rising over the plain."

"Oh, come, thou dear infant! oh come thou with me!
Full many a game I will play there with thee;
On my strand, lovely flowers their blossoms unfold,
My mother shall grace thee with garments of gold."

"My father, my father, and dost thou not hear
The words that the Erl-King now breathes in mine ear?"
"Be calm, dearest child, 'tis thy fancy deceives;
'Tis the sad wind that sighs through the withering leaves."

"Wilt go, then, dear infant, wilt go with me there?
My daughters shall tend thee with sisterly care
My daughters by night their glad festival keep,
They'll dance thee, and rock thee, and sing thee to sleep."

"My father, my father, and dost thou not see,
How the Erl-King his daughters has brought here for me?"
"My darling, my darling, I see it aright,
'Tis the aged grey willows deceiving thy sight."

"I love thee, I'm charm'd by thy beauty, dear boy!
And if thou'rt unwilling, then force I'll employ."
"My father, my father, he seizes me fast,
Full sorely the Erl-King has hurt me at last."

The father now gallops, with terror half wild,
He grasps in his arms the poor shuddering child;
He reaches his courtyard with toil and with dread,--
The child in his arms finds he motionless, dead.
------------------------------------------------

Willkommen und Abschied

Es schlug mein Herz: geschwind zu Pferde!
Es war getan, fast eh' gedacht.
Der Abend wiegte schon die Erde,
Und an den Bergen hing die Nacht;
Schon stand im Nebelkleid die Eiche,
Ein aufgetürmter Riese, da,
Wo Finsternis aus dem Gesträuche
Mit hundert schwarzen Augen sah.

Der Mond von einem Wolkenhügel
Sah kläglich aus dem Duft hervor;
Die Winde schwangen leise Flügel,
Umsausten schauerlich mein Ohr;
Die Nacht schuf tausend Ungeheuer,
Doch frisch und fröhlich war mein Mut:
In meinen Adern welches Feuer
In meinem Herzen welche Glut!

Dich sah ich, und die milde Freude
Floß von dem süßen Blick auf mich;
Ganz war mein Herz an deiner Seite
Und jeder Atemzug für dich.
Ein rosenfarbnes Frühlingswetter
Umgab das liebliche Gesicht,
Und Zärtlichkeit für mich - ihr Götter!
Ich hofft es, ich verdient' es nicht!

Doch ach! schon mit der Morgensonne
Verengt der Abschied mir das Herz:
In deinen Küssen welche Wonne!
In deinem Auge welcher Schmerz!
Ich ging, du standst und sahst zur Erden,
Und sahst mir nach mit nassem Blick:
Und doch, welch Glück, geliebt zu werden!
Und lieben, Götter, welch ein Glück!


Welcome and Farewell
QUICK throbb'd my heart: to norse! haste, haste,

And lo! 'twas done with speed of light;
The evening soon the world embraced,

And o'er the mountains hung the night.
Soon stood, in robe of mist, the oak,

A tow'ring giant in his size,
Where darkness through the thicket broke,

And glared with hundred gloomy eyes.

From out a hill of clouds the moon

With mournful gaze began to peer:
The winds their soft wings flutter'd soon,

And murmur'd in mine awe-struck ear;
The night a thousand monsters made,

Yet fresh and joyous was my mind;
What fire within my veins then play'd!

What glow was in my bosom shrin'd!

I saw thee, and with tender pride

Felt thy sweet gaze pour joy on me;
While all my heart was at thy side.

And every breath I breath'd for thee.
The roseate hues that spring supplies

Were playing round thy features fair,
And love for me--ye Deities!

I hoped it, I deserved it ne'er!

But, when the morning sun return'd,

Departure filled with grief my heart:
Within thy kiss, what rapture burn'd!

But in thy look, what bitter smart!
I went--thy gaze to earth first roved

Thou follow'dst me with tearful eye:
And yet, what rapture to be loved!

And, Gods, to love--what ecstasy!

The Assingment for this lesson:

Pick one Poem and one Quote you like best and explain why you like it^^.

Please write at least four sentences, okay?^^

ooh! awesome this is my kind of assignment!
----------------------------------------
First of all, I'd have to say that quote 4 is my favourite out of the ten:
"Beauty is a manifestation of secret natural laws, which otherwise would have been hidden from us forever."
This is because, to me it seems very true. Ppl often judge us on beauty and on appearance, and you cant help but wonder, who decided what was beautiful, and what was ugly anyway? It is one of those things that everyone knows about, but never stops to think about why we judge ppl like that.
Overall, its a very truthful, and nice quote.

Secondly, my favorite poem has to be "Welcome and Farewell".
It was a tough call, and hard to decide, i liked all the poems particularly well. However this poem jumped out at me the most because, some of the lines in it are simply beautifull.
Lines like "The winds their soft wings flutter'd soon" made me imagine the soft sound of beating wings, almost like angels. And the line "Felt thy sweet gaze pour joy on me; While all my heart was at thy side." is simply adorable in every sense, like just one look can just fill you with happiness, very sweet. And then of course the title in itself caught my eye, because it was odd, saying welcome and farewell in the same sentance, and in a way to me, it seemed to sound very sad.
Overall all the poems were amazing, but this one got my attention, and my tears.
-----------------------------------------------

I hope its okay

Awwww that was so wonderfull, Rose, well done^^
I get that you really tried hard to make up you mind about things and I appreciate that very much.^^

Okay..here I go!

***********************************************************************************************
My favorite quote is....I have to say number 3^^
"An unused life is an early death."
This is the purpose of life. Theoretically, an unused life should be worse than death, as being out of Life's nature. Live every day, like it's your last one.
and one of his own- Nothing is worth more than this day. ^^
If you had an unused life, you've actually wasted it. Life is, like its name, meant for living, every single day of it.
Okay, now I've started to repeat things XD But this is just my opinion..

***********************************************************************************************
And for the poem.....it's probably Ganymede^^
I really have no idea why I liked it the most. Like Rose said, each poem is amazing, but it's just this one...it woke some adorable feelings in me. It's like I can imagine myself laying in the grass with the morning breeze. It feels so eternal, like heaven^^ I might be wrong, but I remembered the scene in Twilight, when Bella was reading book on lawn, or in the meadow^^ The same feeling I felt when I was reading those scenes, came to me now.
*lol* or it's just my freaky mind

***********************************************************************************************

Okay, I have no idea how good is this...but anywayz I like it
*huggles*

Hales

Very nice Hales^^ Good job^^
How funny that you chose Ganymede *lol* (I´ll explain later why)
Now well have to wait for Moodz to post hers and then I can have my try^^

*lol* whyyy? *stares at sho curiously*